Note: This is all based on the information released during Blizzcon 2011 and is subject to change at any time between now and the actual expansion.
In the next expansion they’re making quite a few changes to Warlocks as a class. Not only are we getting the big overhaul in talents that every class is getting, but Blizzard wants to move back to the tank-ish caster class for us. Something I approve of, because I miss the days when there were specific fight mechanics where having a caster tank (often a Warlock) a specific phase or boss was the way to go. ย (I can’t help but hope for such fights again!)
Different Spec – Different Feel
They also want to make our three talent specs feel different to each other. They don’t like the specs using the exact same spells too much, and so they’re having us do different ones. Immolate will be Destruction only, Unstable Affliction still Affliction and I imagine we will get something new for Demonology.
Each spec seems to get their own filler spell; Shadowbolt, Incinerate and the new Malefic Grasp. I’d wager that Incinerate is Destruction, but which of Shadowbolt of Malefic Grasp goes to which spec I don’t really know.
We’re also getting a different resource system depending on the spec:
Affliction – Soul Shards (they have plans to make these more fun!)
Demonology – Demonic Fury (build it up and you enter Metamorphosis at full, there should be new abilities during Meta as well)
Destruction – Infernal Embers (casting fire spells make you hotter and hotter, and you end up able to use a big nuke)
New Talents
Gone are the old talent trees. We choose a spec and get everything that we normally got (more or less) by simply choosing that specialisation. You then gain new spells/skills as you level (not need to visit the trainer anymore either!).
Instead every 15 levels you get a talent point and each time you get to choose 1 out of 3 abilities. You can only ever choose 1 each time and can not use the next talent point to pick one of the others. However, it will be easy to respec (“kind of like glyphs”) so you can easily switch your point around depending on the needs of the fight.
The new talent trees with your choices every 15 levels (courtesy of MMO-Champion):
I think the new talent trees look interesting, but I’m holding off judgement until we know how it will play out. Some of the abilities look rather fun. More powerful demons? Yes please! Or an extra demon now and then… (Can I have 2 for the price of 1, please?)
I was hoping they’d announce our new spell, cause I’m sure we’ll get at least one new spell in 5 levels (even if you could say we can talent for a few new ones in the new talent trees). All in all, I like the idea of bringing warlocks back to the sturdier caster with their damage reduction options and health drains (compared to the mage who will go back to it’s glass-cannon roots).
What are you excited/not excited about regarding Warlocks (or your own class) after the news?